A smile is a guitar in the hands of Franck Szypura

[caption id="attachment_21842" align="alignleft" width="300"] Franck Szypura[/caption]

Carol Forsloff---The smile draws you in.  The music keeps you.  It's Frank Szypura, a Frenchman of the singular skill of making everyone feel good the instant his face appears, along with the trusty guitar that makes blues the king of music wherever he plays.  An interview with this fine musician gives us some insight on how he came to be the delight he is to fellow musicians and fans alike.

Szypura is French and says he struggles a bit with English.  But his answers in this interview offer the flavor of the man, the tasty flavor that can only come from his own style, so it is left here as he writes in his own English.  That smile remains part of the flow of his language, in the way it spreads to everything he does, including the notes of the guitar.

1. When did you begin to perform music? At what age did you start singing or playing an instrument?

I start to play a guitar in 1997.

2. Did you learn music by having lessons or did you learn on your own?

I learn by myself

3. Who encouraged you the most in learning and performing music?

A friend of mine who took her guitar lessons, encouraged me and showed me one thing,
the pentatonic scale, from here everything is open for me.

4. Have you been primarily a soloist or member of a band?

I Never play in band or made a gig, Hard to find a band to play only improvisations.  LOL

5. Are you a fan of some of the television programs like “The Voice” or “America's (or your country)
Got Talent”or American Idol or any of the other programs that present contests

I like "The Voice" because, is good to judge by the voice that the look of the person!
Voice make the music, not the Look.

6. What motivated you initially to be involved in music?

Maybe the fact to create something artistic without wanting to copy.

7. What are your personal favorite music genres? Who are some of your favorite performers?

Big question.   I'll try to be brief, I love much style of music, Rock, Pop, Funk (old school), Soul, some Few Rap, Classical music, Hard rock, and many others.  But he who rises above all is unquestionably the Blues, it was like a revelation for me.

Before I was listening without really paying attention, as you listen to a song that comes on the radio while doing something else.  Then this friend who was taking guitar lessons and showed me the pentatonic scale, was a fan of Blues, he has made me listen Blues song, Classical Tittles and made ​​me love him as I love him and now even more.

The Blues grabbed me and never let go of me.  everything was said about the Blues for sure! For me, the Blues is more than music, it is a second language. The Blues and guitar are Married, make one! In the Blues The guitar is like a voice. For sure much Music use Guitar but it is often there to support, to the rhythm and let the place to the singer. Sure great rock solo part too!! But he's not like the Blues! A Blues Solo is really Different that a Rock Solo! In how to make and play. It's what I think.

When I take a guitar, and when I play a Blues Impro, often I don't know the backing where I play on.  Or in just  20 seconds, I discover it along the time that I play on it.

Like that the Feel is pure, you see, nothing previous before. I always play like that, and I like to play like that. With a free spirit, free mind.

It's important for improvisation.

I think about nothing, and I play, just play! and nothing else. And let the feel make what he want!
The Blues permits that! As I saw in a comment on my Song "Directly from your heart to your fingers, to our Ears!" and it's so true.

It's why I love the Blues, Don't Follow the standard musical code, or just a little, get on track, but occasionally do not take, without lose them views.
Is like that, that iIdon't like to make cover, just to say "hey you see, I know to play this song"   Because it's not yours.   Ok,  you play on it, but is not yours.

My favourite performer is Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's my maestro! My guitar god! If I play guitar it's because of Him.  The first time I listened to him it was like a slap, that got my attention.  So I said to myself, "Wow!! Ok we can do that with a guitar."

And it was more exciting when I saw Stevie Vaughan  in a video, for the first time. One of my big musical "slap" that I ever had.  It really got my attention.

After Stevie Vaughan my favorites are Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Albert King, Freddie King, David Gilmour and many other blues guitarists . Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Bonamassa in the young generations guitarists are among my favorites.

Mark Knopfler is another favorite.  I discover the guitar world with him when I listen to "Private Investigation of Dire Straits.  It was like a spark in my imagination.

8. Do you compose music?

No, because my musicals knowledges is really limited.
I composed some instrumental songs but nothing extraordinary.

9. Do you have other family members who play music?

Yes.  My Father Played a Diatonic Bandoneon, like in the Argentine Tangos.
Astor Piazzola is his god!

10. Are you active in a music group of any kind?

No.

11. How often do you play music, including for your own recreation?

As often as I can. Every day at this time.

12. What barriers have you found in the music business? What do you think might improve the music business?

Now the music industry is based on the profit over the artistic statement. Let's say the two go together, but the first incentive has become the greatest.  I don't know exactly what can we do to improve the music business, may be post at the right place the good persons!
I am more of an artist than a banker.

13. Are you active in any music organizations such as ASCAP or BMI?

No.

14. Would you encourage a young person starting out to seek music as a career?

I don't know. I don't have the knowledge to do that. But if I could say something, I would tell him to open the right doors, and even if it is good, to be careful.  I would say not to hurry and rush head first into anything.

15. Where do you see the future of music?

I think music will always be present.  It will continue to evolve. Music has always been here, and I think it always will be.

I can't imagine a world without music.

And we can't imagine a world without Franck Szypura and his music.  And you can find him here, like many of his fans, and smile along with Franck.  (http://fandalism.com/skylismo)